Side by side
Big-AGI vs SillyTavern
Both stand on byok system. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+2
Big-AGI offers broad model access, parallel comparison, and detailed controls, while keeping provider usage costs separate from its plan price. Its local-first default changes when cloud sync or external AI services are used, so users should consider how they want data handled.
Visit Big-AGI
Free plan Open source AndroidAPIExtension+5
SillyTavern offers extensive prompt and character-chat controls without charging for the interface. Users considering local inference should note its system requirements and the performance limitation for large character libraries.
Visit SillyTavernThe facts
| Big-AGI | SillyTavern | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Android, API, Extension, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Big-AGI Pro: $9 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Maker | Big-AGI | Not published |
| Website | big-agi.com | sillytavern.app |
| On byok system | #3 of 24 | #1 of 24 |
Big-AGI: what it does well
- Connects to 800+ models across 30+ providers.
- Beam runs 2 to 24 models in parallel.
- AI Inspector shows outgoing request details, tokens, and cost.
- MIT-licensed and available for self-hosting.
- Hosted Free plan is available.
What to know first
- Users provide their own provider API keys.
- Model usage is paid directly to providers.
- Shared conversations are public to anyone with the link and expire after 90 days by default.
- No mobile apps are listed.
SillyTavern: what it does well
- Free and open source under AGPL-3.0.
- Supports local and cloud model backends.
- Includes character chats, group chats, and lorebooks.
- No hosted service or programmatic user tracking.
What to know first
- Requires support for NodeJS 20 or higher.
- Cloud providers may log data sent to them.
- Performance may degrade above 1,000 characters.
- No native mobile apps.
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